1. Field
This disclosure relates to a plasmonic droplet, a method and apparatus for preparing the same, a detection method using the palsmonic droplet.
2. Description of the Related Art
Optical absorption energy spectroscopy at visible wavelength range is a common analytical method in chemistry and biology since it has merits such as simplicity in measuring and data processing, wide usuage, non-tagged analysis, etc.
Probes used in most optical systems so far have been developed primarily based on organic reporters which are detected by a change of color or fluorescence emission spectrum.
Meanwhile, plasmon based optical sensing techniques such as localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR), surface enhanced raman scattering (SERS), plasmon resonance energy transfer (PRET) etc. have been studied.
The plasmon based optical sensing techniques use surface plasmonic resonance which occurs when light is confined within a metal surface due to interaction with free-electrons in the metal.
In general, as the plasmon based optical sensing techniques take advantage of locally enhanced electromagnetic field by the incident light-metal interaction in very small length scale, the sensitivity and selectivity can be dramatically improved. Furthermore, in the techniques, spatial resolution can be minimized by shrinking the detection site.